It is hard to believe that 16 years have passed since that horrible day. Like millions of Americans, I will never forget what happened that day and where I was.
I was working at the old KPSI Newstalk 920 as the producer of the Morning Show with Stan Layne and also hosting my own show. I was on the phone with an old friend when the first plane hit. Ironically enough, she and I had gone to eat at Windows On The World, the restaurant at the World Trade Center.
By the time the second plane had hit, I was at the station and we switched to the network feed. For the next 16 hours, I and the team at Newstalk 920 worked hard to keep the Valley informed of many surreal moments including interviewing Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Dave Anderson of the New York Times. I also interviewed a former grammar school classmate of mine who was watching the fires from New York. The late Pat Mullaney, a local Valley official was fantastic as an analyst based on his experience with the FBI as a counter terrorism chief.
We were also giving out information for donations and the local blood banks and charities. It was completely off the cuff and when you are reporting on a story like that, one has to remember that to try and not get emotional. That is very hard to do. I grew up about 20 miles from where the carnage took place.
It has been said America changed forever that day after 9-11. I know I did.
Steve Kelly is the broadcast consultant for College Of The Desert and KCOD AM.
